Eugenix Norwood 6 Journey - 4628 Grafts

[caveman]

@Shadman thanks for the feedback!  

Yes I agree! for sure there is still a few months of maturation to go. Especially in the crown which typically grows slower. I do expect some further improvement but I am not expecting for a miracle where every gap and bald spot fills in densely LOL. 
 

I will definitely update after seeing Dr. Pradeep and hearing his thoughts later today

[asterix0]

How is your donor area looking, I see above the ears it appears to be pretty thin? 

I think your result is pretty good considering you were almost slick bald. A lot of those miniaturized hairs probably fell out permanently during the transplant process, so you are looking at 4.5k grafts for your entire head, which is not enough obviously for full illusion of density.

Another surgery to fill in the gaps would do the trick, it just depends how much donor reserve you have. 

[GeneralNorwood]

19 hours ago, caveman said:

@GeneralNorwood hey buddy thanks for checking out my post! Here is an update. I am right around 9 months post surgery. I am definitely seeing my hair growing out way faster and longer than before. Some density improvement is also visible but I find that I am still using toppik most of the time I go out or do things.

I will be meeting Dr. Pradeep tomorrow so we can discuss progress and potentially going for touch up on hairline, mid scalp, and lateral humps. 
 

of course the crown was not covered densely the first time so we will also discuss goals and possibility of adding grafts there.

I specifically want to modify the hairline. I don’t know if I want lower or not but the left temple point seems super far back. Even my parents are saying that I should see if I can touch those spots up. I am happy with where I am at with this procedure but see room for improvement!!!

 

let me know what you guys think and if there’s any suggestions for helping my hairline match my face/ any specific areas that I should address.

Almost entire top of the head was covered with only 4500 grafts. Growth for such plan is good. 

In my opinion you should focus only on areas where you have already hair, so just transplant between existing hair. 

Hairline lowering would be waste of grafts and can backfire. You can achieve ilussion of lower hairline just by combing hair forward. After 2nd transplant this ilussion will be even better.

[caveman]

8 hours ago, asterix0 said:

How is your donor area looking, I see above the ears it appears to be pretty thin? 

I think your result is pretty good considering you were almost slick bald. A lot of those miniaturized hairs probably fell out permanently during the transplant process, so you are looking at 4.5k grafts for your entire head, which is not enough obviously for full illusion of density.

Another surgery to fill in the gaps would do the trick, it just depends how much donor reserve you have. 

Hi! Yeah I am definitely thinning over the ears. The left side is worse than the right side. I think I had a bit of retrograde alopecia going into this and it has gotta worse after extractions for the transplant.
 

I just got back from meeting with Dr. Pradeep. He said he could get an additional 4000-4500 grafts from my scalp over 2 sittings if needed. Plus the beard is pretty much unlimited grafts. I was happy to hear that as I was also curious as to how much donor I had left.

4600ish grafts for full coverage is definitely going to lack density but surprisingly, the density is not bad at all. There are a few areas that are lacking for sure so the goal will be to go back and touch up on those spots. I also asked about the spots under the ear that are looking sparse …I was told that we could add some grafts there to fill in that space. 
 

I agree that one more surgery is warranted and will hopefully produce the results I wish for.

[caveman]

2 hours ago, GeneralNorwood said:

Almost entire top of the head was covered with only 4500 grafts. Growth for such plan is good. 

In my opinion you should focus only on areas where you have already hair, so just transplant between existing hair. 

Hairline lowering would be waste of grafts and can backfire. You can achieve ilussion of lower hairline just by combing hair forward. After 2nd transplant this ilussion will be even better.

Thanks @GeneralNorwood for the feedback again. I agree that for the number of grafts used, I was able to get a pretty good result so far. I am not fully satisfied so want to get a touch up procedure to address the problem areas.

For the hairline, I don’t want to lower it. Rather, I just want to fix the 2 points that are created on my hairline that are quite far back. Initially that was the plan to conserve grafts and make it look like natural recession but too many people have suggested that “if I can close that up a little bit things would look way better.”
 

my goal is to be able to wear my hair combed forward at the end of this journey. If I can get a nice fade with messy on top look, with no clear scalp showing, I’d be quite content.

Dr Pradeep said that we can do maybe 2000 scalp + 1500 beard or some mixture like that to get the complete coverage and density that I want to have. Hopefully I can plan a trip in the fall/ winter to finish this up 😎 

 

[caveman]

@Shadman I added some details about my visit with dr Pradeep above ☝🏽 

[Rawkerboi]

So around 3500Grafts (2000 scalp +1500 beard) and you are good to go. 

Can you please share those two points on hairline which is bothering you most? 

And for the next procedure you are going with Dr. Pradeep or any other Dr.  from Eugenix? 

Good luck mate

[Melvin- Admin]

Wow this is incredible for the number of grafts 🙌🏼

[sftraderHT]

Thanks so much for sharing your journey.  The results look great.

This is a great community and really appreciate the comments.

I had my first HT 30+ years ago, with the old 4mm punch method.  Going back in next month for a 3500 FUE (1k scalp, 2500 beard).  Like you, I have a thick beard, which is a real blessing.

Thanks again 🙏

[caveman]

4 hours ago, Rawkerboi said:

So around 3500Grafts (2000 scalp +1500 beard) and you are good to go. 

Can you please share those two points on hairline which is bothering you most? 

And for the next procedure you are going with Dr. Pradeep or any other Dr.  from Eugenix? 

Good luck mate

Hey buddy. I’ll add another picture later today showing the 2 points. 
 

As for who I go with, I am unsure. I’m broke right now so need to save some money up lol

[caveman]

@Melvin- Moderator thanks Melvin! The comparison picture does a great job in highlighting the change that occurred. 

 

Sometimes it is hard to see the progress that’s happening since you see yourself everyday. Side by side comparisons like this really put things into perspective so thanks again for doing that for me!!

[caveman]

4 hours ago, sftraderHT said:

Thanks so much for sharing your journey.  The results look great.

This is a great community and really appreciate the comments.

I had my first HT 30+ years ago, with the old 4mm punch method.  Going back in next month for a 3500 FUE (1k scalp, 2500 beard).  Like you, I have a thick beard, which is a real blessing.

Thanks again 🙏

@sftraderHT thanks for the kind words. Yes, this a great supportive community and I am happy to give back where I can. I wish you best of luck for your upcoming procedure 🤞🏽

[Shadman]

On 7/7/2023 at 8:13 AM, caveman said:

@Shadman I added some details about my visit with dr Pradeep above ☝🏽 

Hello, thank you for sharing your consultation details. You've good amount of grafts if you would like to have another procedure. But in my opinion, after 12-14 months your overall density would be more satisfactory. But you can still go for some hairline and crown touch up. May I know whether you're considering another touch up after completing 12-13 months ?

[SLA]

On 7/5/2023 at 11:25 PM, caveman said:

@GeneralNorwood hey buddy thanks for checking out my post! Here is an update. I am right around 9 months post surgery. I am definitely seeing my hair growing out way faster and longer than before. Some density improvement is also visible but I find that I am still using toppik most of the time I go out or do things.

I will be meeting Dr. Pradeep tomorrow so we can discuss progress and potentially going for touch up on hairline, mid scalp, and lateral humps. 
 

of course the crown was not covered densely the first time so we will also discuss goals and possibility of adding grafts there.

I specifically want to modify the hairline. I don’t know if I want lower or not but the left temple point seems super far back. Even my parents are saying that I should see if I can touch those spots up. I am happy with where I am at with this procedure but see room for improvement!!!

 

let me know what you guys think and if there’s any suggestions for helping my hairline match my face/ any specific areas that I should address.

also these pictures were taken after I used shampoo and conditioner. I had toppik in there before I took a shower and I checked to see if there was any remaining and I did not find any. However, I will not use toppik for a few days and take some more pictures to confirm that these are representing the results properly.

 

Finally, I have added some less flattering angles to the best of my abilities to make sure my results are fully transparent. Of course I don’t wear my hair that way but it is just to show where I may want to add density. Ideally I would like to wear my hair forward and have a bit more volume density in the areas I mentioned above.

I had the privilege of seeing @caveman in Philadelphia when we met with Dr. Pradeep- 1st time I saw him since we met each other at the clinic last October.

I can say that in person, his results look excellent! HTs are an illusion of density so when styled correctly and at an appropriate length, it will look more dense. When styled appropriately, his results look very nice, even in the light. 

I will let him tell his news, but he has plenty of grafts left in the bank should he want more density- and keep in mind that only 4,600 grafts were used to fill up his NW6 scalp.

[caveman]

Hey everyone haven’t updated in a while. As of now not much has changed. My hair is still dry and brittle but a big improvement from where I started. That being said I want to go for a second procedure. However, as of now I can’t afford it or spend another year to grow the hair back out. 
 

Instead, I’m seriously considering getting SMP done. I actually enjoy the buzz cut look and feel with the current coverage I have, adding SMP and keeping hair short can give a great result while having a 3D look (with the hairs that I have transplanted already). I will add some final update pictures tomorrow as it has been 13 months since the procedure.

 

for the SMP, I want them to fix the hairline and temple points without “lowering” the hairline much. I’ll provide some examples tomorrow and look forward to getting feedback from you all. 
 

I DO NOT regret getting a transplant. I’m in a much better place than I was before. However, using toppik everyday and worrying about my hair all the time and getting constant hair cuts has gotten me exhausted. I was hoping the transplant would alleviate all these issues but it has not. Additionally, my hair quality in person is so poor that even when grown out it does not look appealing AT ALL. I think I would prefer to have a clean cut look and I believe  the current transplant along with SMP might help me achieve my goals. 
 

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by caveman

[Gatsby]

9 minutes ago, caveman said:

However, using toppik everyday and worrying about my hair all the time and getting constant hair cuts has gotten me exhausted. I was hoping the transplant would alleviate all these issues but it has not.

This is an excellent point @caveman. Having a hair transplant is a lifelong commitment that many people really need to understand. Unfortunately it is not like a hair piece that you can try on for a period of time and if you don't like it then you can simply get rid of it. Shaving/buzzing takes less than a minute when it comes to getting ready in the morning before work, etc. Not so with a hair transplant. Also that commitment involves further surgery in time along with the added costs of life long meds, shampoos, hair products, hair cuts and the list goes on. SMP could be an option but it would be great to see your updates. All the best!

[GeneralNorwood]

8 hours ago, caveman said:

Hey everyone haven’t updated in a while. As of now not much has changed. My hair is still dry and brittle but a big improvement from where I started. That being said I want to go for a second procedure. However, as of now I can’t afford it or spend another year to grow the hair back out. 
 

Instead, I’m seriously considering getting SMP done. I actually enjoy the buzz cut look and feel with the current coverage I have, adding SMP and keeping hair short can give a great result while having a 3D look (with the hairs that I have transplanted already). I will add some final update pictures tomorrow as it has been 13 months since the procedure.

 

for the SMP, I want them to fix the hairline and temple points without “lowering” the hairline much. I’ll provide some examples tomorrow and look forward to getting feedback from you all. 
 

I DO NOT regret getting a transplant. I’m in a much better place than I was before. However, using toppik everyday and worrying about my hair all the time and getting constant hair cuts has gotten me exhausted. I was hoping the transplant would alleviate all these issues but it has not. Additionally, my hair quality in person is so poor that even when grown out it does not look appealing AT ALL. I think I would prefer to have a clean cut look and I believe  the current transplant along with SMP might help me achieve my goals. 
 

 

I understand perfectly your thoughts, went through the same way of thinking. 

HT is supposed to fix some issue, but often it creates another, especially when 1 procedure isn't enough for full coverage. 

Before my HT i didn't really care about styling my hair. But after, when i saw so many new imperfections and weaknesses on my scalp, i begun to style my hair and i can say that it resembled some kind of obsession. Once, for example, I didn't go to the gym because my hair wasn't styling at all. Maybe such behavior seems ridiculous, but it was just a result of frustration.

When I realized that this was not the way to go, I gave up on styling significantly. It was liberating. 

So my piece of advice is, worry about your hair less. Easy to say, harder to do. But remember that you are the person who cares the most about your hair, not the other people. 

You have this advantage, that after your HT, now your balding pattern looks completely natural, so i think random people wouldn't recognize at all that you had the procedure. 

 

About this SMP, so it's same like for HT, you have to do research, if you want to get better result. For me i think it's not good option, because i have blonde hair, but even if i had black, i don't like he idea of buzzcuting my scalp everyday. 

Maybe look out for another barber that will propose some haircut that will suit you and provide less pressure on styling, so you can chill out. 

[caveman]

@Gatsby  Thank you for your comment. Yes everyone this is very true! A hair transplant is a lifelong commitment for sure. I did years of research and thinking before taking the dive. The only thing that I did not predict was the poor quality of my hairs. I was hoping to have the same texture/health of hair that the back of my head has. The hair is thick and luscious and can grow long and healthy without worrying at all.

 

Unfortunately, the hair on the top of my head is not the same. I’ll be making a follow up post in a few minutes to show some pictures of what I am working with and what my goals could potentially be with SMP. 😊 

[caveman]

12 hours ago, GeneralNorwood said:

I understand perfectly your thoughts, went through the same way of thinking. 

HT is supposed to fix some issue, but often it creates another, especially when 1 procedure isn't enough for full coverage. 

Before my HT i didn't really care about styling my hair. But after, when i saw so many new imperfections and weaknesses on my scalp, i begun to style my hair and i can say that it resembled some kind of obsession. Once, for example, I didn't go to the gym because my hair wasn't styling at all. Maybe such behavior seems ridiculous, but it was just a result of frustration.

When I realized that this was not the way to go, I gave up on styling significantly. It was liberating. 

So my piece of advice is, worry about your hair less. Easy to say, harder to do. But remember that you are the person who cares the most about your hair, not the other people. 

You have this advantage, that after your HT, now your balding pattern looks completely natural, so i think random people wouldn't recognize at all that you had the procedure. 

 

About this SMP, so it's same like for HT, you have to do research, if you want to get better result. For me i think it's not good option, because i have blonde hair, but even if i had black, i don't like he idea of buzzcuting my scalp everyday. 

Maybe look out for another barber that will propose some haircut that will suit you and provide less pressure on styling, so you can chill out. 

@GeneralNorwood yes! I see we are thinking in a very similar way. The only difference is, even when I had more hair I always worried about how it looked and how it was styled but now that is on overdrive. 
 

i spend a lot of time money and effort just to get a busted head of hair that doesn’t even look appealing lol. I also took your advice of using a hair mask that we spoke about last time. I’ve tried using different oils and leave in conditioners yet there doesn’t seem to be much progress in improving the quality of hair. 
 

I thought about trying a different hairstyle but the issue isn’t just hairstyle. It’s just lack of hair. I think even after I get a second hair transplant (which I will in the future) the issue with the quality of my hair will still be there. So for those reasons I am considering SMP. Check out the next post to see some pictures of the current results! 

[caveman]

Here is the 13 month update. I just got a haircut today so please keep in mind this is the BEST it looks. In about 10 days it will look more untidy.

I just want to be clear again. I do plan to go and get added density in the hairline mid scalp and crown. I think 3000 grafts would be more than enough. However I can’t do it currently due to the cost and the time it takes to see any results. 
 

with the current transplant I already have a solid foundation for my hairline and some density throughout the scalp. By adding SMP to my current hairline and scalp, I could achieve the look of additional density. If I decide I don’t like it I can just grow my hair back out to what I currently have. 

I have also attached some buzzed haircut pictures. I think if I keep my hair at a 0.5 guard and fade it into a 0 or skin fade, I can make it look more neat and it may look better than what I currently am rocking.
 

Finally, I have added an example of someone with thinning that got SMP and that is the look I’d like to go for.
 

let me know your thoughts!

Edited December 11, 2023 by caveman

[honey21790]

thanks brother for sharing your journey im tottaly aganist eugenix but i think for the number of grafts and being a nw6  it is a good result nw5 need 6500 grafts for full coverge wish you the best in your journey.

[caveman]

1 hour ago, honey21790 said:

thanks brother for sharing your journey im tottaly aganist eugenix but i think for the number of grafts and being a nw6  it is a good result nw5 need 6500 grafts for full coverge wish you the best in your journey.

@honey21790 for sure. The fact that there is hair where there wasn’t hair before is irrefutable. The result was solid. But to achieve the density and look I want it will take 1 more procedure most likely. The fact that my hair is of such poor quality doesn’t have much to do with the surgeon I don’t think. So overall I’m not unhappy. Just considering other options!

[GeneralNorwood]

So the buzzcut is the best option for now in my opinion. Looks neat.

[caveman]

15 minutes ago, GeneralNorwood said:

So the buzzcut is the best option for now in my opinion. Looks neat.

I agree. Thanks for your feedback! Also in regards to your last reply, I too have missed the gym due to my hair. In fact I have to do a whole routine just to get ready so I can look presentable at the gym and I am beyond tired of doing it so I can definitely relate to that issue. Also applies to going anywhere or doing anything in general. Do you think with the current hair density I have, I’d I buzz it and get SMP it will look decent?

 

Has anyone had SMP done that can chime in about how it blends with hair and what length I could keep it at? I am thinking a 0 guard on sides and back into a 0.5 guard on top. 

[GeneralNorwood]

16 minutes ago, caveman said:

Do you think with the current hair density I have, I’d I buzz it and get SMP it will look decent?

I have very little knowledge about SMP, I have never been interested in it. Check the forum, maybe here are some interesting informations about it.